WOMEN WHO NURTURED ME

By God’s gift, the WOMEN who came into my life and nurtured me:

1. PRE-EMINENTLY: the dearest and sweetest and most powerful and loving is the Blessed Virgin Mary of Nazareth, Mother of my Lord and God, Jesus Christ, and my mother, though I am most unworthy to be her son, but by a loving gift of Jesus on the Cross I am privileged to call her “Mother” and “my Gracious Queen”. I love to sing hymns in English and Latin, and to recite the holy Rosary.

2. ELLA TERESA CARAPIET, my own dear mother in the flesh. Her life was marked by great SUFFERING and her SAINTLY DEATH has shown me how I would want to die.

3. MRS. KO LEONORA CHAMBERS was a most prayerful and devoted friend who sincerely was concerned about me. She told me about her great suffering caused by the infidelity of her husband. Now both are dead. Ko Chambers was always and all times sweet and kind to me. Apart from the mental and emotional pain, she suffered from blindness and body aches. She died in Sydney where I spent 10 days with her and family. Ko Chambers was a true saint on earth, and, I am sure, my intercessor in heaven. “Dear Ko, pray for me and protect me, like the devoted friend you are.”

4. MISS BELLETTY, teacher.  My efficient and dedicated teacher in Loreto Day School, Bowbazar. She was strong and masculine- looking. She taught me to have confidence in myself, to decide for myself if a word would fit at the end of the line. It was in Second division (KG II) that I mastered the prescribed Reader. Miss Belletty called me up to her podium and made stand by her. On the table was an advanced Reader. She indicated that, since I had finished the first book, I would go on the new. I was so elated that I burst into tears. Miss Belletty migrated to Australia where she died. I remember her with gratefulness.

5. SING QIU (Peachy Chee). My childhood playmate in our house on Phears Lane. She is now in the UK.

6. MRS. KATE COX, mother of my boyhood friend, Keith Cox, of 17, Bow Street, where I was a frequent visitor. Mrs. Cox was very considerate, in fact, very affectionate to me. A good conversationalist and a reader of character. The Tabonis were very jealous and tried to do everything to hurt and diminish her. She would be in tears. How could fellow Catholics be so cruel? Her heart broke when her dear Keith died. She never recovered after that great loss. “I’ll go to the grave of my son and cry my heart out”, she wrote in one of her letters. The Madera woman visited her to professedly condole with her, but “actually to hurt me by saying, ‘God has rubbed your nose in the ground’”. How much hatred could my dear Mrs. Cox bear? I had already returned from Rome when she died and visited to pray over her body. She had a good sense of humour. “Good and devoted Mrs. Cox, pray for me till I am with you and Keith in heaven forever.”

7. MARY ANN MUNRO (Miss Nasser)   A very gentle and sweet  Muslim woman who regularly attended the Legion of Mary Praesidium in St. Teresa’s Church. I was the spiritual director. Very shy and respectful, greeting me unfailingly every time we met. She received baptism and took the name of Mary Ann. Then she married Mr. Hazel Munro, the President of the Praesidium. I visited them regularly even after my return from Rome on New Park Street till she died (I believe by the doctor’s mistake). I call upon Mary Ann Munro (Miss Nasser) when I am in mental anguish. How beautiful it will be to meet her again in heaven.

8. MRS.HELEN DUGGAN (Lorentz), Boston.  Helen Duggan befriended me almost as soon as landed Boston in July 1988 for my Sabbatical. She saw to my needs even unto buying me a new pair of sneakers from the factory outlet. And she gave me lots of clothes. She dropped in her car to places ever so often to places I needed to go, and took me to join her family for Thanksgiving some miles from Boston. When I landed Boston again after eight years and was stranded (refused accommodation by the pastor of St. Lawrence’s), Helen welcomed me home, giving me a separate room to stay in for at least four days. And then I flew on to Vancouver. After my return to Barrackpore, my sabbatical over, we continued to correspond until her death at the age of 95 years. Helen Duggan was blessed by a large progeny. I cannot love and extol her enough.  “Dearest Helen, apart from being inscribed in my heart forever, I have you on DVD, playing the piano. I know that you are taking care of me and praying for me, and I shall be looking for you when I leave this world. Looking forward to meeting you and living together in Heaven, where you are supremely happy to be reunited with your darling husband, Paul, whom you missed so much in life. I was privileged to have blessed his grave in the Boston cemetery.

9. MRS. L. COMPERNOLLE     Mrs. L. Compernolle (husband’s name Louis) was the sister of Sister Marie Etienne, F.C.  It was good Sister Marie Etienne who arranged for my stay in her hometown, Blankenberge in Northern Belgium, a resort spot on the North Sea. Dear Mrs. L. Compernolle was a very hospitable and helpful woman. She cared for me like a good elder sister, or should I say mother!  She introduced me to the dean (also the parish priest) at whose invitation I celebrated the parish Sunday Mass and take up the collection that came to a lot. Mrs. Compernolle  also took me to visit the Enclosed Carmel. The Superior and Sisters were most gracious and encouraging, and gave me a donation for my personal needs. Madame Compernolle took me to the burgh master, Mr. Naesenne Natebaert, a loud mouth, but generous with his money!  A Second time I visited Blankenberge, and Madame Compernolle was there again! A woman of grit and holiness.  Pray for me, dear Mrs. Compernolle, that I may be with you in heaven.

10. MRS. NORA SUTHERLAND     My first appointment (and the happiest) as a newly ordained priest was to the Headmastership of St. John Berchmans’ Primary and assistant at St. Teresa’s parish, Lower Circular Road. There was a beautiful teacher there, Mrs. Nora Sutherland, obedient and devoted. I did not know then the treasure I had in that school. She was so sweet and gentle; I was harsh and inhuman. I suffered a heart strain. When I celebrated Mass in the church and delivered the sermon, Nora told me how sad she felt when I said it was the last time I would say Mass there. That was month of May 1964. We met occasionally and we kissed, at least she always kissed and embraced me. The last time I phoned her to wish her for her birthday she told me these unforgettable words: “You were closer to me than my husband.” I didn’t know she loved me so much. The next I heard was that she died, I believe, of diabetes. I volunteered to celebrate the funeral Mass and take the funeral in L.C. Road cemetery. I can never forget Nora, her sweet face, her soft voice, sweet tweety singing, her devotion to me. "My dearest Nora, please continue to love me and pray for me that I may reach heaven at last where we shall kiss and embrace again and forever. Yes, we’ll meet again in heaven!"

11. MRS. BLANCHE RODRICKS        Blanche was a very devoted, strong and influential teacher in the primary department of St. Anthony’s School, Market Street. She was very appreciative of me and my work in St. Anthony’s, and gave me every support in my work of showing movies to the boys. Very jovial, she pulled my leg a lot. Blanche was also very realistic about the priests of Calcutta, openly expressing her mind about the “Romeos” among them. Sadly she never bore any children. She died in the midst of a happy retirement.

12. MAUREEN YOUNG        My neighbor and childhood friend. Our families lived side by side on Central Avenue. A Happy neighbourly relationship, her elder brother, Mervyn, was especially friendly with me. They migrated to Canada and stayed in Toronto where I visited them during my sabbatical in Boston. We were delighted to meet each other again. I held her close a few times. I was also glad to meet Doreen again. Doreen remains a spinster. Maureen got married to a Sims. One day I got a letter from Doreen informing me that Maureen died of cancer. Maureen was always a sweet girl. May she be in peace with Jesus, and may she pray for me.

13. MRS. PEG HURLEY                                         Like Helen Duggan, Peg Hurley appreciated me very much. I was then in my sabbatical year in Boston. She was one of daily Mass goers and very encouraging in word and conduct. She often told me how much I was appreciated and would be missed after I left Boston, adding “Believe me.”   Peg had a great regard for Mother Teresa, and was elated by the fact that I worked under dear Mother in Calcutta. When I returned to Barrackpore I was informed by her daughter that dear Peg had contracted cancer. I wrote to her, assuring her of my prayers and added, “Dear Peg, I know that you are bravely fighting it.” She passed away. I know that Peg Hurley is in heaven with Helen Duggan and the other “NINERS” and that she is praying for me.

“NINERS”: the steady number of nine ladies for daily Mass in St. Lawrence’s Church, Boylston Street, Boston.

God bless them all. Till we meet again!